Japan was undergoing a great about-face. The compelling force was the U.S. occupation; the means was the Imperial institution. Although Japan had borrowed freely from the West in matters of technology, ideologically it had steadfastly faced the East. Now it must turn westward.
The process was slow. The Japanese seemed willing and obedient but bewildered. Said one U.S. officer: "It's like telling a stenographer to bring a pad for dictation and having her so literal that she won't bring a pencil."
The Reformation. To speed the process General MacArthur and his chief military...